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<a name="glib-Glob-style-pattern-matching"></a><div class="titlepage"></div>
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<td valign="top">
<h2><span class="refentrytitle"><a name="glib-Glob-style-pattern-matching.top_of_page"></a>Glob-style pattern matching</span></h2>
<p>Glob-style pattern matching — matches strings against patterns containing '*'
                    (wildcard) and '?' (joker)</p>
</td>
<td class="gallery_image" valign="top" align="right"></td>
</tr></table></div>
<div class="refsect1">
<a name="glib-Glob-style-pattern-matching.functions"></a><h2>Functions</h2>
<div class="informaltable"><table class="informaltable" width="100%" border="0">
<colgroup>
<col width="150px" class="functions_return">
<col class="functions_name">
</colgroup>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td class="function_type">
<a class="link" href="glib-Glob-style-pattern-matching.html#GPatternSpec" title="GPatternSpec"><span class="returnvalue">GPatternSpec</span></a> *
</td>
<td class="function_name">
<a class="link" href="glib-Glob-style-pattern-matching.html#g-pattern-spec-new" title="g_pattern_spec_new ()">g_pattern_spec_new</a> <span class="c_punctuation">()</span>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="function_type">
<span class="returnvalue">void</span>
</td>
<td class="function_name">
<a class="link" href="glib-Glob-style-pattern-matching.html#g-pattern-spec-free" title="g_pattern_spec_free ()">g_pattern_spec_free</a> <span class="c_punctuation">()</span>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="function_type">
<a class="link" href="glib-Basic-Types.html#gboolean" title="gboolean"><span class="returnvalue">gboolean</span></a>
</td>
<td class="function_name">
<a class="link" href="glib-Glob-style-pattern-matching.html#g-pattern-spec-equal" title="g_pattern_spec_equal ()">g_pattern_spec_equal</a> <span class="c_punctuation">()</span>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="function_type">
<a class="link" href="glib-Basic-Types.html#gboolean" title="gboolean"><span class="returnvalue">gboolean</span></a>
</td>
<td class="function_name">
<a class="link" href="glib-Glob-style-pattern-matching.html#g-pattern-match" title="g_pattern_match ()">g_pattern_match</a> <span class="c_punctuation">()</span>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="function_type">
<a class="link" href="glib-Basic-Types.html#gboolean" title="gboolean"><span class="returnvalue">gboolean</span></a>
</td>
<td class="function_name">
<a class="link" href="glib-Glob-style-pattern-matching.html#g-pattern-match-string" title="g_pattern_match_string ()">g_pattern_match_string</a> <span class="c_punctuation">()</span>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="function_type">
<a class="link" href="glib-Basic-Types.html#gboolean" title="gboolean"><span class="returnvalue">gboolean</span></a>
</td>
<td class="function_name">
<a class="link" href="glib-Glob-style-pattern-matching.html#g-pattern-match-simple" title="g_pattern_match_simple ()">g_pattern_match_simple</a> <span class="c_punctuation">()</span>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table></div>
</div>
<div class="refsect1">
<a name="glib-Glob-style-pattern-matching.other"></a><h2>Types and Values</h2>
<div class="informaltable"><table class="informaltable" width="100%" border="0">
<colgroup>
<col width="150px" class="name">
<col class="description">
</colgroup>
<tbody><tr>
<td class="datatype_keyword"> </td>
<td class="function_name"><a class="link" href="glib-Glob-style-pattern-matching.html#GPatternSpec" title="GPatternSpec">GPatternSpec</a></td>
</tr></tbody>
</table></div>
</div>
<div class="refsect1">
<a name="glib-Glob-style-pattern-matching.includes"></a><h2>Includes</h2>
<pre class="synopsis">#include &lt;glib.h&gt;
</pre>
</div>
<div class="refsect1">
<a name="glib-Glob-style-pattern-matching.description"></a><h2>Description</h2>
<p>The g_pattern_match* functions match a string
against a pattern containing '*' and '?' wildcards with similar
semantics as the standard <code class="function">glob()</code> function: '*' matches an arbitrary,
possibly empty, string, '?' matches an arbitrary character.</p>
<p>Note that in contrast to <code class="function">glob()</code>, the '/' character can be matched by
the wildcards, there are no '[...]' character ranges and '*' and '?'
can not be escaped to include them literally in a pattern.</p>
<p>When multiple strings must be matched against the same pattern, it
is better to compile the pattern to a <a class="link" href="glib-Glob-style-pattern-matching.html#GPatternSpec" title="GPatternSpec"><span class="type">GPatternSpec</span></a> using
<a class="link" href="glib-Glob-style-pattern-matching.html#g-pattern-spec-new" title="g_pattern_spec_new ()"><code class="function">g_pattern_spec_new()</code></a> and use <a class="link" href="glib-Glob-style-pattern-matching.html#g-pattern-match-string" title="g_pattern_match_string ()"><code class="function">g_pattern_match_string()</code></a> instead of
<a class="link" href="glib-Glob-style-pattern-matching.html#g-pattern-match-simple" title="g_pattern_match_simple ()"><code class="function">g_pattern_match_simple()</code></a>. This avoids the overhead of repeated
pattern compilation.</p>
</div>
<div class="refsect1">
<a name="glib-Glob-style-pattern-matching.functions_details"></a><h2>Functions</h2>
<div class="refsect2">
<a name="g-pattern-spec-new"></a><h3>g_pattern_spec_new ()</h3>
<pre class="programlisting"><a class="link" href="glib-Glob-style-pattern-matching.html#GPatternSpec" title="GPatternSpec"><span class="returnvalue">GPatternSpec</span></a> *
g_pattern_spec_new (<em class="parameter"><code>const <a class="link" href="glib-Basic-Types.html#gchar" title="gchar"><span class="type">gchar</span></a> *pattern</code></em>);</pre>
<p>Compiles a pattern to a <a class="link" href="glib-Glob-style-pattern-matching.html#GPatternSpec" title="GPatternSpec"><span class="type">GPatternSpec</span></a>.</p>
<div class="refsect3">
<a name="g-pattern-spec-new.parameters"></a><h4>Parameters</h4>
<div class="informaltable"><table class="informaltable" width="100%" border="0">
<colgroup>
<col width="150px" class="parameters_name">
<col class="parameters_description">
<col width="200px" class="parameters_annotations">
</colgroup>
<tbody><tr>
<td class="parameter_name"><p>pattern</p></td>
<td class="parameter_description"><p>a zero-terminated UTF-8 encoded string</p></td>
<td class="parameter_annotations"> </td>
</tr></tbody>
</table></div>
</div>
<div class="refsect3">
<a name="g-pattern-spec-new.returns"></a><h4>Returns</h4>
<p> a newly-allocated <a class="link" href="glib-Glob-style-pattern-matching.html#GPatternSpec" title="GPatternSpec"><span class="type">GPatternSpec</span></a></p>
</div>
</div>
<hr>
<div class="refsect2">
<a name="g-pattern-spec-free"></a><h3>g_pattern_spec_free ()</h3>
<pre class="programlisting"><span class="returnvalue">void</span>
g_pattern_spec_free (<em class="parameter"><code><a class="link" href="glib-Glob-style-pattern-matching.html#GPatternSpec" title="GPatternSpec"><span class="type">GPatternSpec</span></a> *pspec</code></em>);</pre>
<p>Frees the memory allocated for the <a class="link" href="glib-Glob-style-pattern-matching.html#GPatternSpec" title="GPatternSpec"><span class="type">GPatternSpec</span></a>.</p>
<div class="refsect3">
<a name="g-pattern-spec-free.parameters"></a><h4>Parameters</h4>
<div class="informaltable"><table class="informaltable" width="100%" border="0">
<colgroup>
<col width="150px" class="parameters_name">
<col class="parameters_description">
<col width="200px" class="parameters_annotations">
</colgroup>
<tbody><tr>
<td class="parameter_name"><p>pspec</p></td>
<td class="parameter_description"><p>a <a class="link" href="glib-Glob-style-pattern-matching.html#GPatternSpec" title="GPatternSpec"><span class="type">GPatternSpec</span></a></p></td>
<td class="parameter_annotations"> </td>
</tr></tbody>
</table></div>
</div>
</div>
<hr>
<div class="refsect2">
<a name="g-pattern-spec-equal"></a><h3>g_pattern_spec_equal ()</h3>
<pre class="programlisting"><a class="link" href="glib-Basic-Types.html#gboolean" title="gboolean"><span class="returnvalue">gboolean</span></a>
g_pattern_spec_equal (<em class="parameter"><code><a class="link" href="glib-Glob-style-pattern-matching.html#GPatternSpec" title="GPatternSpec"><span class="type">GPatternSpec</span></a> *pspec1</code></em>,
                      <em class="parameter"><code><a class="link" href="glib-Glob-style-pattern-matching.html#GPatternSpec" title="GPatternSpec"><span class="type">GPatternSpec</span></a> *pspec2</code></em>);</pre>
<p>Compares two compiled pattern specs and returns whether they will
match the same set of strings.</p>
<div class="refsect3">
<a name="g-pattern-spec-equal.parameters"></a><h4>Parameters</h4>
<div class="informaltable"><table class="informaltable" width="100%" border="0">
<colgroup>
<col width="150px" class="parameters_name">
<col class="parameters_description">
<col width="200px" class="parameters_annotations">
</colgroup>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td class="parameter_name"><p>pspec1</p></td>
<td class="parameter_description"><p>a <a class="link" href="glib-Glob-style-pattern-matching.html#GPatternSpec" title="GPatternSpec"><span class="type">GPatternSpec</span></a></p></td>
<td class="parameter_annotations"> </td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="parameter_name"><p>pspec2</p></td>
<td class="parameter_description"><p>another <a class="link" href="glib-Glob-style-pattern-matching.html#GPatternSpec" title="GPatternSpec"><span class="type">GPatternSpec</span></a></p></td>
<td class="parameter_annotations"> </td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table></div>
</div>
<div class="refsect3">
<a name="g-pattern-spec-equal.returns"></a><h4>Returns</h4>
<p> Whether the compiled patterns are equal</p>
</div>
</div>
<hr>
<div class="refsect2">
<a name="g-pattern-match"></a><h3>g_pattern_match ()</h3>
<pre class="programlisting"><a class="link" href="glib-Basic-Types.html#gboolean" title="gboolean"><span class="returnvalue">gboolean</span></a>
g_pattern_match (<em class="parameter"><code><a class="link" href="glib-Glob-style-pattern-matching.html#GPatternSpec" title="GPatternSpec"><span class="type">GPatternSpec</span></a> *pspec</code></em>,
                 <em class="parameter"><code><a class="link" href="glib-Basic-Types.html#guint" title="guint ()"><span class="type">guint</span></a> string_length</code></em>,
                 <em class="parameter"><code>const <a class="link" href="glib-Basic-Types.html#gchar" title="gchar"><span class="type">gchar</span></a> *string</code></em>,
                 <em class="parameter"><code>const <a class="link" href="glib-Basic-Types.html#gchar" title="gchar"><span class="type">gchar</span></a> *string_reversed</code></em>);</pre>
<p>Matches a string against a compiled pattern. Passing the correct
length of the string given is mandatory. The reversed string can be
omitted by passing <a class="link" href="glib-Standard-Macros.html#NULL:CAPS" title="NULL"><code class="literal">NULL</code></a>, this is more efficient if the reversed
version of the string to be matched is not at hand, as
<a class="link" href="glib-Glob-style-pattern-matching.html#g-pattern-match" title="g_pattern_match ()"><code class="function">g_pattern_match()</code></a> will only construct it if the compiled pattern
requires reverse matches.</p>
<p>Note that, if the user code will (possibly) match a string against a
multitude of patterns containing wildcards, chances are high that
some patterns will require a reversed string. In this case, it's
more efficient to provide the reversed string to avoid multiple
constructions thereof in the various calls to <a class="link" href="glib-Glob-style-pattern-matching.html#g-pattern-match" title="g_pattern_match ()"><code class="function">g_pattern_match()</code></a>.</p>
<p>Note also that the reverse of a UTF-8 encoded string can in general
not be obtained by <a class="link" href="glib-String-Utility-Functions.html#g-strreverse" title="g_strreverse ()"><code class="function">g_strreverse()</code></a>. This works only if the string
does not contain any multibyte characters. GLib offers the
<a class="link" href="glib-Unicode-Manipulation.html#g-utf8-strreverse" title="g_utf8_strreverse ()"><code class="function">g_utf8_strreverse()</code></a> function to reverse UTF-8 encoded strings.</p>
<div class="refsect3">
<a name="g-pattern-match.parameters"></a><h4>Parameters</h4>
<div class="informaltable"><table class="informaltable" width="100%" border="0">
<colgroup>
<col width="150px" class="parameters_name">
<col class="parameters_description">
<col width="200px" class="parameters_annotations">
</colgroup>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td class="parameter_name"><p>pspec</p></td>
<td class="parameter_description"><p>a <a class="link" href="glib-Glob-style-pattern-matching.html#GPatternSpec" title="GPatternSpec"><span class="type">GPatternSpec</span></a></p></td>
<td class="parameter_annotations"> </td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="parameter_name"><p>string_length</p></td>
<td class="parameter_description"><p>the length of <em class="parameter"><code>string</code></em>
(in bytes, i.e. <code class="function">strlen()</code>,
not <a class="link" href="glib-Unicode-Manipulation.html#g-utf8-strlen" title="g_utf8_strlen ()"><code class="function">g_utf8_strlen()</code></a>)</p></td>
<td class="parameter_annotations"> </td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="parameter_name"><p>string</p></td>
<td class="parameter_description"><p>the UTF-8 encoded string to match</p></td>
<td class="parameter_annotations"> </td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="parameter_name"><p>string_reversed</p></td>
<td class="parameter_description"><p>the reverse of <em class="parameter"><code>string</code></em>
or <a class="link" href="glib-Standard-Macros.html#NULL:CAPS" title="NULL"><code class="literal">NULL</code></a>. </p></td>
<td class="parameter_annotations"><span class="annotation">[<acronym title="NULL may be passed as the value in, out, in-out; or as a return value."><span class="acronym">nullable</span></acronym>]</span></td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table></div>
</div>
<div class="refsect3">
<a name="g-pattern-match.returns"></a><h4>Returns</h4>
<p> <a class="link" href="glib-Standard-Macros.html#TRUE:CAPS" title="TRUE"><code class="literal">TRUE</code></a> if <em class="parameter"><code>string</code></em>
matches <em class="parameter"><code>pspec</code></em>
</p>
</div>
</div>
<hr>
<div class="refsect2">
<a name="g-pattern-match-string"></a><h3>g_pattern_match_string ()</h3>
<pre class="programlisting"><a class="link" href="glib-Basic-Types.html#gboolean" title="gboolean"><span class="returnvalue">gboolean</span></a>
g_pattern_match_string (<em class="parameter"><code><a class="link" href="glib-Glob-style-pattern-matching.html#GPatternSpec" title="GPatternSpec"><span class="type">GPatternSpec</span></a> *pspec</code></em>,
                        <em class="parameter"><code>const <a class="link" href="glib-Basic-Types.html#gchar" title="gchar"><span class="type">gchar</span></a> *string</code></em>);</pre>
<p>Matches a string against a compiled pattern. If the string is to be
matched against more than one pattern, consider using
<a class="link" href="glib-Glob-style-pattern-matching.html#g-pattern-match" title="g_pattern_match ()"><code class="function">g_pattern_match()</code></a> instead while supplying the reversed string.</p>
<div class="refsect3">
<a name="g-pattern-match-string.parameters"></a><h4>Parameters</h4>
<div class="informaltable"><table class="informaltable" width="100%" border="0">
<colgroup>
<col width="150px" class="parameters_name">
<col class="parameters_description">
<col width="200px" class="parameters_annotations">
</colgroup>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td class="parameter_name"><p>pspec</p></td>
<td class="parameter_description"><p>a <a class="link" href="glib-Glob-style-pattern-matching.html#GPatternSpec" title="GPatternSpec"><span class="type">GPatternSpec</span></a></p></td>
<td class="parameter_annotations"> </td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="parameter_name"><p>string</p></td>
<td class="parameter_description"><p>the UTF-8 encoded string to match</p></td>
<td class="parameter_annotations"> </td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table></div>
</div>
<div class="refsect3">
<a name="g-pattern-match-string.returns"></a><h4>Returns</h4>
<p> <a class="link" href="glib-Standard-Macros.html#TRUE:CAPS" title="TRUE"><code class="literal">TRUE</code></a> if <em class="parameter"><code>string</code></em>
matches <em class="parameter"><code>pspec</code></em>
</p>
</div>
</div>
<hr>
<div class="refsect2">
<a name="g-pattern-match-simple"></a><h3>g_pattern_match_simple ()</h3>
<pre class="programlisting"><a class="link" href="glib-Basic-Types.html#gboolean" title="gboolean"><span class="returnvalue">gboolean</span></a>
g_pattern_match_simple (<em class="parameter"><code>const <a class="link" href="glib-Basic-Types.html#gchar" title="gchar"><span class="type">gchar</span></a> *pattern</code></em>,
                        <em class="parameter"><code>const <a class="link" href="glib-Basic-Types.html#gchar" title="gchar"><span class="type">gchar</span></a> *string</code></em>);</pre>
<p>Matches a string against a pattern given as a string. If this
function is to be called in a loop, it's more efficient to compile
the pattern once with <a class="link" href="glib-Glob-style-pattern-matching.html#g-pattern-spec-new" title="g_pattern_spec_new ()"><code class="function">g_pattern_spec_new()</code></a> and call
<a class="link" href="glib-Glob-style-pattern-matching.html#g-pattern-match-string" title="g_pattern_match_string ()"><code class="function">g_pattern_match_string()</code></a> repeatedly.</p>
<div class="refsect3">
<a name="g-pattern-match-simple.parameters"></a><h4>Parameters</h4>
<div class="informaltable"><table class="informaltable" width="100%" border="0">
<colgroup>
<col width="150px" class="parameters_name">
<col class="parameters_description">
<col width="200px" class="parameters_annotations">
</colgroup>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td class="parameter_name"><p>pattern</p></td>
<td class="parameter_description"><p>the UTF-8 encoded pattern</p></td>
<td class="parameter_annotations"> </td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="parameter_name"><p>string</p></td>
<td class="parameter_description"><p>the UTF-8 encoded string to match</p></td>
<td class="parameter_annotations"> </td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table></div>
</div>
<div class="refsect3">
<a name="g-pattern-match-simple.returns"></a><h4>Returns</h4>
<p> <a class="link" href="glib-Standard-Macros.html#TRUE:CAPS" title="TRUE"><code class="literal">TRUE</code></a> if <em class="parameter"><code>string</code></em>
matches <em class="parameter"><code>pspec</code></em>
</p>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<div class="refsect1">
<a name="glib-Glob-style-pattern-matching.other_details"></a><h2>Types and Values</h2>
<div class="refsect2">
<a name="GPatternSpec"></a><h3>GPatternSpec</h3>
<pre class="programlisting">typedef struct _GPatternSpec GPatternSpec;</pre>
<p>A GPatternSpec struct is the 'compiled' form of a pattern. This
structure is opaque and its fields cannot be accessed directly.</p>
</div>
</div>
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